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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26643862">Love in the Time of Coffee</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/KikiKierra/pseuds/KikiKierra'>KikiKierra</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCIS</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, Friends to Lovers, Love Confession, falling in love over coffee (who doesn't want that)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 09:14:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,676</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26643862</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/KikiKierra/pseuds/KikiKierra</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What starts out as Ellie bringing coffee to a friend slowly grows to something more.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ellie Bishop/Jacqueline "Jack" Sloane</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Love in the Time of Coffee</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So I just found this while I was browsing through my google docs, not too sure when I wrote it, but I gave it a read through and it seems to be in postable condition. So here you go.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The first time Ellie had bought Jack coffee it wasn’t planned. And it was only supposed to be a one time thing. Ellie’s favourite coffee chain was doing a buy one get one free deal and Ellie knew she couldn’t give coffee to McGee without giving one to Nick or vice versa so Jack seemed like the obvious choice. She brought the cup up to Jack’s office, armed with numerous packets of sugar (of course).</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack looked up from the file she was working on and flashed Ellie the kind of smile that could light up a whole room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“For me?” she asked, eyes landing on the cup of coffee immediately. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ellie nodded, “There was a deal on, and I definitely don’t need two”.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, thank you,” Jack said, taking the coffee. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ellie put her own coffee down and reached into her pocket, producing the handful of sugar packets and dumping them on Jack’s desk. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah,” Jack grinned “you know me so well”.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, your sugar addiction is hard to miss,” Ellie laughed. “See ya later Jack,” she added as she left. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A few weeks later when Ellie was buying her daily coffee, she couldn’t resist getting one for Jack too. There’s something about Jack that always puts a smile on her face and any excuse to see her and return the favour was appealing to Ellie. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, another deal?” Jack asked as Ellie came through her office door with the coffee and sugar.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Something like that,” Ellie shrugged, handing it over. “So, how are you?” Ellie asked, looking for an excuse to linger a bit longer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack smiled, clearly pleased and maybe a little surprised by the question. “I’m not too bad, drowning in files though,” she laughed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They made small talk for a few more minutes before Ellie’s phone rang and she was forced back into the real world. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>*** </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t have to keep buying me coffee,” Jack said when Ellie came to her office for that sole purpose for the fourth time in three weeks. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh no, it’s fine, I like …” she tailed off not really sure what to say. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack raised her eyebrows, “You like…?” she asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ellie shrugged, “Making you smile I guess”. She ducked her head shyly as a blush coloured her cheeks. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, I appreciate it,” Jack smiled, reaching across the desk to take Ellie’s hand “thank you”.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ellie’s heart skipped a beat at the touch. “Uh yeah, anytime”.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She let out a breath as soon as she was out of the office. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I am not getting a crush on Jack. I’m not. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Despite her denial of her feelings, Ellie found herself putting more effort into her appearance over the next few weeks. Form fitting sweaters, darker lipstick, little things like that. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>On one such day where she was wearing a particularly tight sweater, slightly more low cut than usual, she noticed Jack staring. Ellie smirked and raised her eyebrows, “Yes…?” she prompted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh,” Jack said, blushing slightly “just, you look nice”.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you,” Ellie grinned “so do you, as always”. She added that last part under her breath but knew Jack heard her when she saw Jack’s blush deepen. “What?” Ellie teased “it’s true”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack bit her lip and took a sip of her coffee to try to diffuse the tension.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Anyway, I’ve got work to do, but have a good day,” Ellie muttered, running her hand through her hair, suddenly shy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, you too”.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Around lunch time the next day, Jack appeared with bags of food from Ellie’s favourite fast food restaurant. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Since you insist on buying me coffee almost everyday I thought I better buy you some lunch,” she said, handing Ellie a bag.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ellie examined the contents and grinned “My favourite, how did you know?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, I have my ways,” Jack laughed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What about us?” Nick complained, gesturing between himself and McGee.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmm, maybe when you start buying me coffee all the time,” Jack replied, rolling her eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack sat down on Ellie’s desk and ate her own food. They chatted between mouthfuls, getting lost in their conversation and completely ignoring Nick and McGee who were watching on. She dragged it out as long as she could but eventually she had to return to her office.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As soon as she was gone Nick couldn’t wipe the smile from his face. “What?” Ellie sighed, knowing he had something to say.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She likes you!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ellie rolled her eyes and feigned ignorance, “Of course she likes me, we’re friends”.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No,” Nick groaned, “she </span>
  <em>
    <span>like likes</span>
  </em>
  <span> you and you like her too”. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ellie couldn’t hide her smile at the childish term but shook her head. “No she doesn’t, and no I don’t, we’re just friends”. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sureee you are,” Nick teased in a sing-song voice. With that, Gibbs came back from autopsy and they all jumped back into work leaving the conversation abandoned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Soon, buying Jack coffee almost everyday turned into buying Jack coffee everyday. And then Ellie started arriving at work earlier than usual just so she had more time to talk to Jack. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Their conversations quickly turned from 5 minute chats at Jack’s desk as Ellie dropped off the coffee to almost half an hour long heart to hearts on the couch. They talked about everything from their favourite tv shows to their pasts, some conversations light and others much more serious. And as each day passed Ellie was aware of her feelings for Jack growing stronger. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One day after Jack bringing lunch to Ellie’s desk, something that became a weekly occurrence, Nick confronted Ellie. “You have to make a move, c’mon”.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re just friends,” Ellie insisted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No you’re not, you’re falling in love with each other”. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ellie sighed, “She doesn’t like me like that, Nick. She lowered her voice and looked around to make sure no one could overhear, “I do have feelings for her, but I’m sure she doesn’t feel the same”.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nick smirked at her admission, “She does, trust me”. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ellie just shook her head, “She doesn’t. And don’t you dare tell her how I feel”. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I won’t, but you should,” he said, shaking his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Although Nick left it alone after that Ellie couldn’t shake what he said. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She doesn’t like me … does she? She couldn’t. She’s out of my league. But what if she does….?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Unbeknownst to Ellie, Jack was going through a similar situation with Grace. Grace was astounded that Jack couldn’t see how Ellie was feeling.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know … what if she’s just being friendly?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Grace rolled her eyes, “She spends time talking to you every morning and buys you coffee”. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And flowers that one time,” Jack laughed, remembering a time where Ellie had shown up with a beautiful bunch of flowers to ‘brighten up Jack’s office’.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Exactly. And you still don’t think she’s falling in love with you”. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack sighed and rubbed her temples, “It’s complicated Grace”.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well you’ll never know if you don’t ask,” Grace said, trying another angle.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And risk making her uncomfortable? No thanks”.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t think you need to worry about that, if she’s as good of a </span>
  <em>
    <span>friend</span>
  </em>
  <span> as you insist then she’d never be uncomfortable”.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Smartass,” Jack muttered, shaking her head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Despite this conversation, Jack remained unconvinced and continued to explain away Ellie’s behaviour with any explanation other than the obvious. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A few  weeks later it was Jack’s birthday, Ellie knew Jack didn’t like to make a fuss over it but she wanted to get her a little present anyway. She settled on a pretty mug with watercolour butterflies printed on it. She half-filled the mug with individual sugar packets and added a packet of expensive coffee then wrapped the whole lot in cellophane, tying it with a pretty gold bow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She wrote a little note - “Here’s some butterflies for you, since you give me butterflies every day”. She didn’t sign the note, she knew she didn’t have to. She debated not leaving the note at all but she decided the risk of potential embarrassment and rejection was worth it just to know where she stood.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Too shy to give it to her in person, Ellie arrived at work at 7:55am and left the gift and her usual coffee on Jack’s desk, knowing Jack always arrives at exactly 8am every day. Not quite sure what to do with herself now, Ellie went to hide out in the gym until she returned to the bullpen at 8:30 to start the day. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>However, she couldn’t focus, she spent the morning moving around nervously and checking her phone, hoping to hear from Jack. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You okay?” Nick asked when Ellie got up from her chair only to sit down again for the third time. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m fine,” she replied a little too quickly and a little too sharply. “Just tired,” she added, trying to soften it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right,” Nick said incredulously.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At 11:30am her phone buzzed, three times in quick succession. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Hey, I missed you today…</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>And thanks for the extra butterflies</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You know you give me butterflies everyday right?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ellie grinned and bit her lip, holding her phone to her chest subconsciously. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That the message you’ve been waiting for?” Nick laughed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What? Oh, um, yeah,” Ellie stammered “I gotta go, uh, do something”. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ellie tentatively knocked on Jack’s office door, popping her head around to see if Jack was there. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack looked up and smiled warmly, inviting Ellie to enter. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, um, sorry to ditch you this morning,” she said softly, avoiding Jack’s gaze “I was just nervous … still am really”.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jack got up and came over to Ellie, taking her hands. “Why still?” she asked gently. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ellie shrugged slightly, “I don’t know … I mean, what happens now? Are we … girlfriends?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you want,” Jack smiled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ellie bit her lip shyly and nodded, “yeah”. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah? Okay … so, how about I take you out for dinner tonight?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sounds lovely”.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good”. Jack smirked then dropped a chaste kiss on Ellie’s lips. “You should get back to work”.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Probably, yeah,” Ellie conceded. “See ya tonight,” she added as she left the office with a huge grin on her face. </span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
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